Clothes-line.



H. AMACHER.

CLOTHES LINE.

APPLICATION FILED. OCT- I 1914.

COLUMBIA FLAYJOGRAPH c0..wAsHlNuTON. D. C.

Patented Aug. 3, 1915.

H NR 'AMACHER, or'cULLoi/r, ILLINOIS.

CLOTHES-LINE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known thatI, HENRY AMACHER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cullom, in the county of Livingston and State of Illinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in .ClothesLines, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to spring grips, and

more particularly relates to a noveladapta tion of the latter in forminga clothes line.

As a particular object, this invention contemplates the provision of aclothes line formed of a series of spring grips such that it may beoperated by a personremaining standing at one point and such that theclothes will be resiliently retained upon the line for any desiredlength of time.

An object of equal importance is to provide a protector for saidgrips toguard against the action thereon of the elements and to also construct aclothes line of the foregoing type with suchregard to proportion, numberand arrangement of parts as to render it capable of being cheaplymanufactured as well as durable and efficient in operation.

The above and additional objectswhich will become apparent as thisexplanatory practice, and throughout the several views, N of whlch hkecharacters of reference deslgnate similar parts :-Figure 1 is a sideelevation of one of the clothes lines comprehended by this invention as.set up and ready for use, the supports therefor being only fragmentarilyshown, Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the spring grips shown inthe closed position, Fig. 3 is a similar view of a grip as it appearswhen open, and Fig. 4 is also a perspective view showing a grip invertedand provided with one of the protectors, the latter being alsoillustrated in dotted lines in Figs. 2 and 3.

There is illustrated a rotatable clothes line mounted for endlessmovement upon a pair of pulleys 5 which are-in turn rotatably supportedby bracket arms 6 of any desir- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 3, 1915." j, Application filed October 1, 1 914.Seria11\lo. 864,499.

able construction although formed with an i arcuate intermediate portion7 for theobvious purpose of permitting movementthereby of the grips ofthis invention as will ap- 'pear. These brackets are removably receivedas indicated at 8 in suitable posts or standards of any customaryvariety.

The, clothes line consists of a series of spring grips linked inalinement and of sufficient number to extend between the pulleys 5 toform the upper portion of the The spring 11 is formed at one end with aneye 13 at right angles to which is the continuation 14 integrally formedat its other end with the loop 15 parallel to the eye 13 and; equallyspaced therewith from the linear portion 14. A continuation 16 is alinedwith the portion 14 of this spring and formed upon the other end of theloop 15, itself terminating in the arcuate V-shaped resilient arm 17,the end of which is formed with a large eye 18 loosely slidable uponthesimilar extensions 19 of the jaws 12. These jaws are substantiallyU-shaped and have eyes 20 formed upon each of the extensions 19, onepair of similar eyes being received in the spring eye 13 and the otherpair in the loop 15 asis clearly illustrated. Links 21 serve to connectsuccessive spring grips of the described construction while the wire 10is similarly formed with loops 22 for connecting the terminal grips witheach other about the pulleys 5. i

It will be understood of course that the resilient arm 17 normally tendsto maintain the jaws 12 in the closed or gripping position illustratedin Fig. 2 such position being automatically assumed by the grip, afterthe operators grip is released whereby the spring arm 17 is depressed toenable the jaws 12 to pivotally open in their respective loops for thereception of clothes therein.

The grips when not in use are permitted to occupy the position shown indotted lines in Fig. 1, but when it is desired to put the clothes linein service the operator can take his position at any point and byintermittently pulling upon the wire 10 in a constant direction willsuccessively position adjacent to himself the several spring grips eachin turn, which may then be given the i clothes they are expected tosupport in the I clothes have been dried it is possible for,

obvious ,manner. similarlyr when I the the operator to take his stationat any one point and successively relieve each grip of V the clothescarriedi thereby, so that awhen the last grip has been reached the wholenumber will form the under portion 'of'th'e 'clothesline circuit inwhich position they are to be left until again utilized as clothescarriers. In this position, as just previously set forth, itjwi'll beseen that the protector plate 23 which, it may be noted, is preferablyformed' from some" non-rusting inateri'al, is providedfwith apertures 24to enable, the plate to loosely slide upon the extensions l9 of the jawsl2, henthe. grips are, in" their inverted position as shown in Fig. i,it will readily be appreciated that -vention, it desired toem'p'hasiZethe fact that such minor changes inthe matters of proportion and degreemay be made in later adaptations of this device, as shall not alter.

thes'p'irit 0-13 the invention as defined the appended claims.

1 What is claimed is 1 In a clothes line grip, a base portion formedwith loops and ate'rminal spring arm, and jaws loosely mounted by saidloops and similarly engageable by said arm.

2. In an automatic clothes line grip, jaws loosely mounted on. a baseportion, and a resilient member form'ed integrally with said'baseportion for sliding contact with said aw in normally keeping the latter3. The combination with a spring grip including a base portion, jawsloosely connected thereto and a lresilientiarm integral 7 with said baseportion and slidable upon said jaws, of a protector plate apertured tosimilarly slide upon said jaws. mThe combination in an endless clothesline including a series of linked grips 'forinmg the upper-portion ofthe clothes line clrcult when the latter is in use, means fortransferrlngsald grips to the lower portion or said circuit, andprotector plates adapted named position.

to be 'o'fservice automatically invsaid last I 5 In jan automaticclothes line grip; a

base portion formed with arterrninal eye, an lntermedlate' loop, and anintegral resilient'arm terminating in a larger loop, jaws,

extensions formed on said j aws, eyes formed on said'ext'ensions,corresponding pairs of eyes being loosely mounted upon saidterminaleyeand saidintermediate loop of said 7 a pair of the saidextensions.

t. In annutomatic' clothes line, grip, a base portion formed with aterminal eye, and an intermediate loop, a resll ent arm formedintegrallyupon said base portion, and "angularly' thereto, jaws,extensions forme'dfon' said jaws, eyes formed'on' said extensions'toloosely mount said jaws in the said eye and loop of said base portion,an eye formed on said resilient arm for sliding engagement with oneextension of each jaw, and links loosely positioning with respect tosaid base portion, grips of 'a series in alinement.

In testimony whereof I atfix my signature in'presence or two witnesses.

HENRY AMACHER.

Witnesses:

JAKE AMAorn R,

WHITE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, addressingthe Commissioner 0! Patents,

washin tongncl

